Undergraduate Research & Creativity (UGRC)
WHY Undergraduate Research and Creativity? (UGRC)
"Undergraduate research has given me the opportunity to connect classic literature to a relevant issue today. Presenting at conferences has given me additional confidence."
Noel Fedeli, Secondary Education GermanKU Inspires is a celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creativity that will take place on Tuesday, April 14, 2020. The event will celebrate student-generated research at all stages from works in progress to completed projects. Additional details on KU Inspires.
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FIND AND WORK WITH FACULTY MENTORS
Undergraduate research is defined as "inquiry guided by a faculty mentor that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to a discipline" (Council on Undergraduate Research [CUR]).
Pennsylvania State System of higher education faculty expertise showcase
Search potential KU faculty mentors by discipline
KU FACULTY UGRC ADVISORY BOARD
The following KU faculty members serve on the UGRC Advisory Board. Please contact them with questions about department initiatives, opportunities, and ways to get connected to a faculty mentor.
Coordinator of Undergraduate Research and Creativity
Lynn M. Kutch, Professor of German
College of Business Representatives
Duane Crider, Professor of Sport Management & Leadership Studies
Mostafa Maksy, Professor of Business Administration
College of Education Representative
Carol Watson, Associate Professor of Elementary Education
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Representatives
Allan Bäck, Professor of Philosophy
Mario Cardozo, Assistant Professor of Geography
Jennifer Forsyth, Professor of English
Matthew Junker, Associate Professor of Physical Sciences
Erin Kraal, Associate Professor of Physical Sciences
Carol Mapes, Professor of Biological Sciences
Dale Parson, Professor of Computer Science and Information Technology
Maria Sanelli, Professor of History
Tony Wong, Associate Professor of Mathematics
College of Visual and Performing Arts Representatives
Diana Ebersole, Department Chair and Associate Professor Communication Studies
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PUBLISH AND PRESENT AT REGIONAL, NATIONAL, OR INTERNATIONAL LEVELS
PUBLICATION VENUES at KU
-students can work with faculty to publish exceptional research here, complete with a Creative Commons license
Essence Fine Art & Literary Magazine
-"Essence is a collaborative effort of KU students who express themselves through various artistic media. Entries represent the best student work created at KU. The magazine is curated, edited, and designed by students committed to the goal of producing a beautiful showcase for their work." -(from Essence, 2018)
-Shoofly is an annual journal published by the English Department's Professional Writing Program. It features work by student writers at Kutztown University.
CONFERENCES AT KU
Annual Sexual Minorities Conference
-takes place end of September
KU Commission on Human Diversity Annual Conference
-takes place early March; submission deadline end of December
-takes place mid-April; submission deadline December
REGIONAL Undergraduate CONFERENCES
- Interdisciplinary
Berks County Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference
-takes place end of April; submission deadline early March
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Modern Languages (German)/Interdisciplinary (History, Film Studies, Jewish Studies)
Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC) Undergraduate Conference in German Studies
- Philosophy and Religious Studies
PASSHE Philosophy and Religious Studies Conference
- STEM
PASSHE STEM Undergraduate Research Conference
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Women's and Gender Studies/Interdisciplinary
Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC) Women's and Gender Studies Conference
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Philosophy
Undergraduate Conference in Medieval and Early Modern Studies (Moravian College)
Undergraduate-Friendly Professional Conferences
Eastern Communication Association
Mid-Atlantic Council on Latin American Studies (MACLAS)
Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) Undergraduate Forum
Pennsylvania Historical Association
Pennsylvania Political Science Association
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EXPLORE CAREER DIRECTIONS, BUILD TRANSFERABLE SKILLS AND ENHANCE MARKETABILITY
Skills that student researchers and creators develop correspond directly to the "soft skills" that employers look for in their new hires.
SOFT SKILLS: WHAT EMPLOYERS WANT Infographic
Soft Skill
How UG Researchers build That Skill
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
-exercise sound reasoning to analyze problems, make decisions, obtain, interpret, and use knowledge and facts, demonstrate creativity and inventiveness in developing original research projects
Oral/Written Communication
-present at conferences, articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in written and oral forms
-express ideas clearly to others
-sharpen public speaking skills
Teamwork/Collaboration
-work with fellow students of diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, lifestyles, and viewpoints
-work within a team structure and manage conflict
Digital Technology
-leverage existing digital technologies to solve problems, perform research, and share research with a broader forum
Leadership
-leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals
-develop interpersonal skills
-take the lead in managing and executing a research project
Professionalism/Work Ethic
-demonstrate effective work habits, manage time workload
-understand the impact of non-verbal communication
-act responsibly in the larger community (ex: presentation venues)
Career Management
-identify skills, strengths, knowledge, and experience
-pursue opportunities relevant to future employment
-advocate for themselves
Global/Intercultural Fluency
-learn from diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and religions
-interact professionally in other cultures by presenting in international venues
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UGRC BY ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT
Click on highlighted departments below to find out about existing department-specific and major-specific opportunities.
College of Business
Business Administration
Sport Management & Leadership Studies
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Counselor Education and Student Affairs
Elementary Education
Library and Learning Technologies
Special Education
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES
Anthropology and Sociology
Biological Sciences
Computer Science and Information Technology
Criminal Justice
English
Geography
History
Mathematics
Modern Language Studies
Physical Sciences
Political Science and Public Administration
Psychology
Social Work
COLLEGE OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
Art & Art History
Art Education & Crafts
Cinema, Television and Media Production
Communication Design
Communication Studies
Music
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DEVELOP CONFIDENCE AND INDEPENDENCE
"Ten Simple Rules to Make the Most out of your UG research Career"
Click here to read about the ten simple rules
Looking to Boost Confidence? It is never too early to get involved in undergraduate research!
Studies have shown that even beginning researchers build confidence in themselves. These trends continue as the student pursues an undergraduate research "career."
Engaging in undergraduate research is identified as a High Impact Practice (HIP), an experience that improves student learning outcomes. Studies have shown the differences in ... skill and knowledge gains associated with early engagement in undergraduate research from students who have little to no prior research experience. Studies have investigated the relative rates of changes in novice researchers’ perceptions of the progressive development of different research-related skills and conceptual understandings of their own projects, as well as how their attitudes, such as confidence in their own abilities as researchers, develop with continuous participation in mentored research.
Find the quoted article (cited below) and many other articles about the benefits of Undergraduate Research at KUs library page.
Bhattacharyya, Prajukti1, bhattacj@uww.ed., et al. “How Novice Researchers See Themselves Grow.” International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning, vol. 12, no. 2, July 2018, pp. 1–7.
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PURSUE UNIVERSITY-SPONSORED AND EXTERNAL FUNDING
KU offers two main sources of funding: KU BEARS and the Undergraduate Research Fund. The Kutztown University Foundation also occasionally sponsors student research projects. Faculty and students have also obtained funding from external sources such as the National Science Foundation.
Students Exhibit Original Work at the Eckhaus
Eckhaus is a student-run art gallery. Students work with the Kutztown community to present, local, regional, international, faculty, alumni, and student work in all mediums.
Analyzing DNA by gel electrophoresis
A student loads DNA samples on an agarose gel as part of a project to create modified apoptosis (programmed cell death) proteins.
KU English Student Takes Top Prize
Ariel Jennings was awarded the "Best Paper" Prize at the LVAIC Women & Gender Studies Conference for her paper "Bitches Be Crazy: Searching for Diversity in the Domestic Thriller."
Kutztown University Archaeology Field School
Tabitha Martinez (l) and Dani Cannon (r) identify an artifact discovered while excavating in the Stoddart Mansion at Stoddartsville, a 19th-century milling village in northeast Pennsylvania that is the current site of the Kutztown University Archaeology Field School.
Resistivity Survey of West Creek in Schuylkill Watershed
KU undergraduate students Sebastien Treciak, Alexandra Racosky, and Emily Snyder set up a resistivity survey line in West Creek of the Schuylkill Watershed to pinpoint zones of seepage that will be targeted by local watershed groups for remediation efforts against the large scale abandoned mine drainage problems that exist in that area.
Dr. Wong Champions Undergraduate Research
Dr. Tony Wong, associate professor of mathematics, consistently works with students on developing research ideas that students go on to present at regional or national conferences.
Student/Faculty Research Team
Dr. Mark Wolfmeyer mentored Anna Nissley, Secondary Education Spanish, on her presentation at the American Educational Studies Association.
Researching Gender Bias in the Middle School Classroom
James Durham and Jenna Plump, Middle-Level Education, discuss their research with their faculty mentor, Carol Watson. The team is investigating gender bias in the middle school classroom with an emphasis on student voices.
Student Advocates for Undergraduate Research
Victoria Salazar, BS Chemistry BA German, speaks to students in classes about the value of participating in undergraduate research and creativity conferences.
Student Researches PA German Cartoon
Erica Cohen Hamilton, Anthropology, is conducting original research on a Pennsylvania German cartoon, Pumpernickel Bill, that ran in the Morning Call newspaper.
Fedeli Wins Honorable Mention Prize
Noel Fedeli, Secondary Education German, presented at KUs Council on Human Diversity Conference and then went on to present at the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges German Studies Conference, where she won an honorable mention prize for her project #metoo .
Student Interviews Controversial Turkish-German Rap Artist
Lauren Verna, Secondary Education German, had the opportunity to meet and interview rap artist Lady Bitch Ray aka Reyhan Sahin, at the Women in German conference at the University of the South.